Double Fugue

by Aiden Vaughan

  The ChucksConnection Presents

  Double Fugue

  By Aiden Vaughan

  Cover Art and Graphics by Kurt Eberhardt

  Illustrations by Ricardo Carmona

  A Hunter & Holmes Mystery

  Hal Peterson Media Services

  San Jose, California

  © 2009 Hal Peterson Media Services

  This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance between the characters in this book and actual persons or events is purely coincidence. Locations and institutions are used fictitiously.

  This story is meant for readers 13 years old and up. If it were a film, it would be rated PG-13, or a television show Mature 14, due to some descriptions of violent acts including sexual abuse, frank discussions of the thoughts and actions of predators, and the impact of traumatic crimes perpetrated on a young teenager.

  All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever.

  First online edition March, 2009.

  ISBN 978-0-9821014-1-4

  For more information about Hunter and Holmes Mysteries, go to our website at http://hunterandholmes.com

  Other Books in the Hunter & Holmes Series:

  1. The Kidnapping

  3. When the Chips Are Down

  4. Family Matters

  5. Eyewitness News

  6. Days of Destiny

  Fugue.

  A musical composition of imitative counterpoint in which a short melodic subject is introduced by one voice and successively restated and developed by other voices.

  A term in psychology referring to the loss of one’s identity, often coupled with flight from one’s usual environment.

  Double Fugue.

  A fugue on two subjects in simultaneous contrapuntal combination.

  TABLE OF CONTENTS

  Introduction

  Chapter 1. Robert Fischer Returns

  Exposition

  Chapter 2. A Neighbor’s Plea

  Chapter 3. The Rescue Mission

  Chapter 4. Eric’s Nightmare

  Chapter 5. Jason’s Pledge

  Chapter 6. The Transformation.

  Chapter 7. A New Life for Eric, Part I

  Chapter 8. The Farewell Tour

  Chapter 9. The Jam Session

  Chapter 10. The Bizarre Kidnapping

  Chapter 11. The Perfect Storm

  Chapter 12. Can Chucks Really Fly?

  Chapter 13. The Voice of the Sheriff

  Chapter 14. Jason Intervenes

  Development

  Chapter 15. Daniel’s Musical Solution

  Chapter 16. The Crusade

  Chapter 17. The Press Conference, Part I

  Chapter 18. The Rescue

  Chapter 19. The Press Conference, Part II

  Chapter 20. Bicycling with the Molinaris

  Chapter 21. Who Should Be Grounding Whom?

  Chapter 22. A New Life for Eric, Part II

  Chapter 23. The Band Reunion

  Recapitulation

  Chapter 24. Eric Goes Missing

  Chapter 25. AMBER Alert

  Chapter 26. Showdown at Wild Creek Ranch

  Chapter 27. Rogelio’s Chamber of Horrors

  Chapter 28. The Wake

  Chapter 29. The Concert

  Chapter 30. The Funeral

  Chapter 31. The Legal System and Ethan Savage

  Coda

  Chapter 32. The Therapeutic Thank You

  Chapter 33. The K Club

  Chapter 34. Dinner at the Ferreiras

  Afterward

  Appendix. Score to Shenandoah.

  ROBERT FISCHER RETURNS

  (Monday Morning)

  It was another glorious summer day in the Silicon Valley. Even though it was the first part of August, the evenings had been cool due to the fog layer that rolled into the coast every afternoon. The presence of the fog kept Bay Area cities and towns very pleasant with low humidity and beautiful sunny days that had highs in the mid-eighties. It was perfect weather for playing sports, bicycling or walking, going swimming, or just hanging out like Jason Hunter and Daniel Holmes were doing.

  The two teenagers had experienced quite a summer already, forming a detective team to solve the mystery of Jason’s sudden disappearance from a public park in broad daylight back in June. This extraordinary adventure was chronicled in the first Hunter & Holmes mystery, The Kidnapping. Their success at solving the mystery led to the capture and sentencing of the criminals responsible, and Jason’s full recovery from the trauma of his ordeal. Jason had just turned 15. Now he was a carefree teenager again, having a great time, and enjoying the last part of the summer.

  Jason had a slim athletic build, with sandy blonde hair, almost yellow in color, a pleasant and outgoing personality, and a desire to keep his life simple, even though things were constantly coming up to complicate his life. During the summer time, and most of the spring and fall, he lived in his favorite clothing, tee shirts, print shorts, and a pair of red canvas Converse Chuck Taylor high tops. He had resided in the Silicon Valley his entire life, and loved the area and its lifestyle. He had a brilliant analytical mind, which made schoolwork very easy for him, as well as solving mysteries, but he never bragged about it or lorded it over others. Outgoing, polite, and friendly, Jason had quite a network of friends and acquaintances, many of whom he had known since his kindergarten and primary grade years. Best of all, he truly enjoyed helping other people.

  Jason was an only child and lived with his two parents, Bill and Edith Hunter. Bill owned an art and antiquities import/export business that had been in the family for three generations, while Edith worked in the marketing department of a software company. Jason was also a person of destiny, something that was another unexpected component of his amazing summer. Unknown to Jason or his father Bill, Jason’s great-grandfather Winfield Hunter had selected him to be the recipient of a fortune in diamonds that had been hidden away for over sixty years to keep them away from neo-Nazis. The gift came with one requirement: use them for the greater good of society. Jason decided to use the fortune to set up a foundation to help teenaged crime victims since he knew personally what it felt like to be one. Last week Jason had gone back east and done an interview for national television talking about his recent experiences as a victim, then a detective, and how that inspired him to set up the foundation. All of this would go public in a month or so. In the meantime, he wanted to enjoy just the simple pleasures of being with his friends, playing games or sports with them, and staying out of the public eye while he still could.

  Jason’s best friend, Daniel, was a year older, but was in the same class at school as Jason, because his birthday was just past the cutoff day for registration. As a result he was a little more mature than most of his classmates. Daniel had spent a lot of his early years living in a Maryland suburb before he and his parents moved out to the Silicon Valley a few years ago. Daniel was about an inch taller than Jason, and had curly black hair that he kept medium long. Daniel was a talented musician, singing in choirs, and this summer had been learning to play the guitar. He was very interested in becoming a professional performer and much of his life focused around music. Daniel also liked to swim and work out regularly to keep his body slim and fit. He cultivated a rock star look, which in the summer consisted of denim shorts, band tee shirts and a pair of black high top chucks. Wearing chucks was how he met Jason. When he first came to the area, he didn’t know anyone, but was placed in Jason’s homeroom, due to their last names beginning with the letter H. He noticed that Jason was wearing red high top chucks, and figuring that they might have some things in common, got their first conversation started by saying “Hey, those are cool chucks you have on,” to Jason. The two boys quickly discovered that they did have a
lot in common and soon were best friends.

  Like Jason, Daniel was an only child. His parents, Gary and Melinda Holmes, were accountants and investment counselors, running a financial services business out of the front rooms of their home. Both Jason and Daniel were very perceptive, and they quickly established a deep mental and spiritual connection that was truly exceptional for kids their age. Jason had never had a friend before that he could talk to on such a high level of understanding. Daniel would always speak the truth to Jason, no matter how painful it was. Because of his keen ability to understand what was real and point out what was posturing, Jason called him his “great sounding board, conscience, and bubble popper when I get too out there.” Daniel was not as extroverted as Jason, but he was always a loyal friend, willing to drop whatever he was doing to help out Jason. As a result of this strong bonding, they had gradually become surrogate brothers to each other.

  Today was just a day for fun. Daniel had come over to Jason’s house mid morning, and the two had played some one-on-one basketball in the driveway. After their game, they relaxed on Jason’s front porch with some cold drinks and talked about their girl friends. Along with all of the dramatic events of the summer, Jason had begun to spend more time with Laura Friesen. Laura was the daughter of a successful investment banker, and lived in a big house with an Olympic sized swimming pool. Both Laura and her mother Dorothy were devoted swimmers, so this was living in paradise for them. And of course a very nice swimming pool was a great boy magnet for Laura. Laura was a very pretty brunette with a fit and shapely body. Jason was physically attracted to her, and he knew that she was making a play for him. He wasn’t sure how serious he wanted to be about their relationship at this stage, so he just let thing flow naturally. “I really enjoy spending time with Laura, but I don’t think I am ready to go steady.”

  “No sense rushing into things, Jason. On the other hand, will Laura be content to just let things drift along?”

  “I don’t know, Daniel. All I want right now is to have good times when I am with her. I hope that Laura will be content with that for now. What about you and Diana?”

  “Mostly we have focused on our musical activities when we are together. Or we just do fun things together like riding our bikes. I really do feel a strong connection when I am with her, though.” Diana Miglione was very musical, just like Daniel, and they both sang in the advanced choir at school. At get-togethers or parties, the two of them would huddle and discuss their musical interests with great passion and intensity.

  “Maybe you will find that you can just relax when you are together, and that you don’t have to have an agenda.” Jason suggested. “Diana is really a very sweet person.”

  Just then their conversation was interrupted by the arrival of someone at the porch.

  “Robert? Robert Fischer is that you?” Jason asked.

  “Jason! It’s so great to see you! You are looking well! I heard about what happened to you while I was back east, and this is my first opportunity to see how you are doing!” Robert was the same age as Daniel, but a year ahead in school. He was tall and a little stocky in build, with brown eyes and hair, and a pleasant demeanor topped off by a great wide smile. Robert was a talented classical musician, playing the horn with great skill and passion since he was in the fourth grade. He was an old friend of Jason’s; they had been going to the same schools since the third grade.

  “I don’t know if I told you, Jason, but I was able to get into this special summer music program back east for young brass players. It was sponsored by the University of Michigan and the American Symphony Orchestra League. I got to study with and learn from some of the greatest symphony players in the country. It was a fantastic experience! While I was back there my mom told me about what had happened to you. Then later when you actually were able to track down your kidnappers, it made the news even back in Michigan. I was so proud of you, Jason, and it was great to have some bragging rights on the other high-achieving kids there when I told them that I knew you personally!”

  Robert came up to Jason and gave him a big hug. “I really wish I had been here to walk with you through the park that day, just like the old days when we would walk to school together and look out for each other.”

  “Me too, my friend, me too!” Jason said with a laugh. “But look at you, Robert. You look like the summer has agreed with you, all tan and fit. I guess they let you musicians out of the practice rooms some of the time! And what is this? You are wearing high top chucks now. Awesome!”

  “Yeah, Jason. The brass camp was great. We spent at least as much time doing recreation as we did rehearsing and practicing. We got to swim and hike everyday and there are plenty of court sports facilities on the Michigan campus. As to my shoes, I needed a new pair of sneakers, and when I went to the shoe store I was thinking of you, and how you always wore high top Chuck Taylor shoes. The store had just stocked in some new rock and roll high tops, so I said ‘these are perfect for a musician. I’ve got to have a pair!’ Now I really like them and wear them all of the time.” Robert had on a pair of black high tops that had a famous rock band logo on the outside uppers, opposite the inside Chuck Taylor ankle patches.

  “Robert, have you met my friend Daniel Holmes?”

  “No, I haven’t. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” Daniel got up and they shook hands.

  “Have a seat, Robert. Would you like something to drink?”

  “Sure, that would be great, Jason.” While Jason went inside to get Robert a drink, Daniel struck up a conversation with Robert.

  “I’ve been studying music also this summer. I took a guitar class and found that I really liked being able to accompany myself singing.”

  “That sounds like fun, Daniel. Have you been doing a lot of singing around here?”

  “Mostly in the school choir.”

  “I thought you looked familiar. I really enjoyed working with the choir when we performed the holiday concert together last December.”

  “Since I have started playing the guitar, it has made me really want to pursue a career in the field of music.”

  “I know what you mean, Daniel. Ever since I had the chance to play in a good youth orchestra, I realized that being a professional musician is what I want to do in life. It’s a lot of work to break in, but there is nothing finer than playing a concert with other great musicians!”

  “What does it take for you to become a professional musician, Robert? I am thinking about a career as a performer myself.”

  “I think that the most important thing is that you establish a practice routine that you stick to and use to develop total mastery of your instrument or voice. That was one of the things that I learned from the professional symphony musicians I studied with this summer. Playing a wind instrument in a first rate professional orchestra is totally demanding of your concentration, and you have to be so comfortable with what you are doing that it becomes second nature to you. You are expected to play everything perfectly all the time from easy notes to very exposed solos, so you have to be ready for that, just like a professional athlete is expected to make the correct play on the field every time no matter how difficult it is to execute.”

  Just then Jason came back outside with a drink for Robert.

  “Thanks, Jason. Now be honest with me. How are you holding up? Being attacked and held in captivity like you were had to have taken its toll on you.”

  “It was quite an experience, Robert,” Jason answered. “Being kidnapped and held prisoner in that dark basement was real hell, but during that time I had to be totally focused on just surviving. After I was released, I went through a whole series of emotions, everything from total elation to guilt for what my friends and family had to go through. I found myself unable to concentrate on even the most simple things, like playing video games. Then I began having flashbacks from my week in captivity. Actually it was Daniel here who helped me get my life back. He literally challenged me to get my act together and try to solve the crime. Once we did tha
t, I was on the road to recovery, and when we were successful all the bad things began to recede. Help and encouragement from my friends and family is what got me through the ordeal.”

  “I am happy to hear that you are back to your old self, Jason. I really felt guilty that I couldn’t be here for you when you needed support from your friends, but it sounds like others were able to step up for you. Way to go, Daniel! Somehow I knew that you would have things under control, Jason, but it is good to hear it directly from you!”

  “I appreciate the kind words, Robert. The most important lesson I learned was how important a network of friends can be when you become a crime victim or face tough circumstances. But enough about me! What’s up for you next, Robert? Did you know that Daniel here is a fine musician also?”

  “Yeah, we were just talking about it. I’d like to hear him perform sometime with his guitar. As for me, I am back for our special Silicon Valley area high school honor orchestra put on by our music teachers and supported by local arts grants. The orchestra meets during the next two weeks. I’m really excited about it this year, because I have been selected to be principal horn in the orchestra. They are always able to get a major talent to come in and perform a concerto with us, and this year is no exception!”

  “How does the honor orchestra work?” Daniel asked.

  “The students involved all have to audition and then the ones who make it are sometimes called back to determine seating in the sections. We have five three-hour rehearsals during the next two weeks, starting on Thursday of this week. At the dress rehearsal, they bring in our guest soloist to play the concerto with us, and then the concert is a week from Friday evening. We are really lucky this year because our soloist is the great pianist Sergei Korkovitz. These great artists come in and play for a fraction of their normal fee, just to help out young musicians. The whole experience is run very much like a professional orchestra would rehearse and play, although normally a professional orchestra would have several more performances.”